SELECTING UNIVERSITY LECTURERS - WHAT IS AND SHOULD BE DONE

This paper presents a survey designed to identify the procedures used by British university departments when selecting academic staff and co mpare them with typical practice in other UK organizations, The result s indicate that, compared with other large organizations, university d epartments make much less use of psychometric tests or assessment cent res, relying heavily on the application form, a single interview and a presentation. There were no differences between academic departments of English, Biology or Psychology and the level of academic appointmen t only affected the composition of the interview panel. Possible reaso ns far the failure to use modern objective methods of selection are co nsidered. It is argued that universities should apply more objective s election methods based on a full analysis of the competencies required of the higher education lecturer.